Superstar Rockstar Genealogists 2015

Join me in congratulating those receiving the most votes by those in the specified countries/areas, the gold award winners, your 2015 Superstar Genealogists.

International; USA; Genetic Genealogy
CeCe Moore

Debuting as Superstar Genealogist in three categories, CeCe Moore is a full time professional genetic genealogist. Currently, she is working as the genetic genealogy consultant and scriptwriter for season three of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and recently completed work as the DNA consultant for season two of Genealogy Roadshow. She also works extensively with individuals of unknown parentage to help them learn about their genealogy through DNA, often reuniting them with biological family members. She is the co-administrator of the Adopted DNA and Unknown Fathers DNA projects at Family Tree DNA and writes the blog Adoption and DNA.

CeCe organizes conferences, teaches a number of courses around the U.S. and administers popular mail lists and the ISOGG Wiki focusing on genetic genealogy. She is the co-founder of the Institute for Genetic Genealogy and has written the popular blog Your Genetic Genealogist since 2010. One of CeCe s primary goals is to encourage positive stories about the power of genetic genealogy in the media. She has appeared as a genetic genealogy expert on 20/20, CBS This Morning, The Doctors and Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discussing high-profile cases that used DNA to trace family history and has been quoted on the subject by the Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, Harper s Magazine, Business Insider, ABC News, Live Science, Huffington Post, The Root, The Invisible History of the Human Race and many more.

CeCe is booked as a speaker at the OGS Conference 2016 in Toronto.


Australia/New Zealand
Jill Ball

Jill Ball, returning to the Superstar Genealogist position she held in 2013, describes herself as an amateur Australian genealogist excited by Web2.0 applications.
During her working life prior to "retirement" Jill was a Librarian, Teacher and Head of Information Technology. Jill's blog is Geniaus.





Canada
Dave Obee

Jumping into the gold award position Dave Obee is a journalist, Editor-in-Chief of the Times Colonist in Victoria, British Columbia and genealogical researcher who has written a dozen books and given almost 600 presentations at conferences and seminars in Canada and the United States since 1997.

He is a member of the board of Canada's History Society, a columnist for Internet Genealogy magazine and Your Genealogy Today magazine, formerly Family Chronicle. Dave has also written about family history for Canada's History as well as Your Family Tree in the United Kingdom.

In 2012 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws by the University of Victoria for his work as a historian, genealogist and journalist. In 2014 he was presented with the Governor General's Caring Canadian award for his work as a community volunteer.

Dave runs CanGenealogy, a link site that is selective and sorted for ease of use.


England, Scotland, Wales
Kirsty Gray
Kirsty Gray, involved in professional genealogy since 2002, conducts research for private individuals, solicitors, academics and companies worldwide through her company Family Wise Limited. She is active on various social media, a sought-after lecturer and a founding member and current officer of The Surname Society and Society for One-Place Studies.

Kirsty, who is author of Tracing Your West Country Ancestors, returns to the #1 position, Superstar Genealogist, she occupied in 2013.



Ireland
Claire Santry

Claire Santry is voted Superstar Genealogist 2015 for Ireland, She is a full-time journalist specialising in Irish genealogy and heritage, and a number of other subjects that fall under the general banners of architecture and travel. Best known for her Irish Genealogy News blog, an essential resource for those wanting to follow developments, Claire, who has been a genealogist since her teenage years, is the author of the Irish Genealogy Toolkit which has free information, free tools, free advice - page after page of relevant advice on this website plus the very latest information on genealogical resources in Ireland.


Over the next few days the blog will reveal top ten Rockstar Genealogist lists as follows:

Wednesday: Australia/News Zealand and Canada
Thursday: England/Scotland/Wales and Ireland
Friday: USA and DNA
Saturday: International